City Thugs Using Hazardous Drug to Rob MPesa Agents Arrested

Two men suspected to be serial fraudsters targeting M-Pesa shops in the city have been arrested.

The suspects were cornered by Mpesa agents on Wednesday afternoon after one of them tried to withdraw money from a shop.

Police said they had received several complaints from owners of M-Pesa shops who operate in and around Kiamaiko area near Huruma estate.

Starehe Deputy OCPD Rogers Bosire said the suspects could have been using scopolamine, a hazardous drug that eliminates free will and can wipe out the memory of its victims.

Most of the victims reported how they had no memory when they were being robbed.

Lela Abdi, who operates one of the affected shops, said that two men approached her shop to withdraw money before they were arrested.

“They told me they wanted to withdraw more cash and I suspected that there was something fishy about them, so I told them the transaction had a delay and they should wait,” said Ms Abdi.

She added that the suspects became anxious and left but returned later with people who identified themselves as police officers.

“They wanted to know why I had not given them their money which they had withdrawn.

“The officers started harassing me telling me to give the two their money which they had withdrawn,” she narrated.

The ensuing commotion attracted nearby traders who recognized them as the suspected fraudsters.

When they saw things had become thick, they got in their car and started driving away but the irate crowd blocked their way. They were arrested and taken to the Pangani Police Station.

“I can confirm that we are holding two suspects who were arraigned in court on Thursday morning and we have requested the court to add the police more time for investigations to be completed,” said Bosire.

Police recovered several identification cards, SIM cards and mobile phones and detained the vehicle they were driving.

The police boss warned M-Pesa attendants not to have idle conversations with their customers when they are serving them.

An agent, Miret Marie, lost more than Sh200,000 on Saturday and could not recall how it happened.

She said that the two suspects went to her shop and all she recalls was a colleague grabbing her phone when she went to the next shop to ask for money to top up what they had withdrawn.